Live Well Spaces of Hope and Connection Programme – Greater Manchester’s VCSE sector has secured a major £16.5m investment in community-led spaces
Thanks to National Lottery players, 10GM, on behalf of Greater Manchester Live Well, will receive £16.5 million over four years from The National Lottery Community Fund, the UK’s largest community funder.
This investment in Live Well Spaces of Hope and Connection will create a network of 100+ inclusive, community-led and owned spaces across Greater Manchester where people can meet, belong and find everyday support.
Prioritising communities facing the greatest inequalities, the investment will strengthen social infrastructure and grow community action, power and wealth. Powered by the Live Well movement, VCSE organisations, public services and residents will come together to share power, change systems and shape healthier, fairer, more connected places.
This is a major moment for Greater Manchester.
Communities are at their strongest when people have somewhere to come together. Whether it's a local hall, a shared garden, or a repurposed building, community-led spaces give people the chance to connect, collaborate and find joy — especially in times when isolation and inequality are growing.
Across Greater Manchester, there are already hundreds of these spaces. They're the lifeblood of our sector. But many are underfunded, overstretched and held up by just a few dedicated individuals fighting to keep the lights on. These leaders often face immense pressure, driven by a deep sense of responsibility to their communities. And too many people still do not have communal spaces to call their own — particularly people facing the greatest inequalities. We want to work alongside people to identify these gaps and invest in new and emerging spaces, too.
This strategic partnership with The National Lottery Community Fund marks a bold and much-needed commitment to Greater Manchester's grassroots social infrastructure. Securing £16.5 million reflects both the scale of ambition and the urgency of need — and provides a foundation for long-term, community-led change.
But this isn't just about money. It's about shifting power. It's about ensuring that communities decide where investment goes, and that people who've been most marginalised finally get the support they deserve. It's about valuing what matters — not just in words, but through sustained, strategic action. As part of this programme, we're working with equity partners to develop approaches that support dispersed communities of identity and experience.
It was extremely important to us that this funding didn't affect local applications, so we agreed with The National Lottery Community Fund that this investment is additional and does not come from Greater Manchester allocations.
This approach has also created space to gather a wide range of voices through consultation and engagement — grounding the programme in real community priorities and people's own experiences.
What the programme will do
Launching in April 2026, this represents one of the largest investments in community-led development in England. It builds on the leadership and creativity already rooted in local communities and will:
- Supercharge and celebrate community-led action that builds connection, resilience, equity and community wealth.
- Generate and share nationally significant learning about what helps community-led spaces thrive long-term — influencing policy and practice locally, regionally and nationally.
- Strengthen and grow social infrastructure that supports lasting community power, leadership and belonging across Greater Manchester.
This programme is a chance to reimagine how we invest in and support grassroots social infrastructure — moving away from bureaucracy and toward trust, equity and shared leadership. It's an opportunity to build something lasting, together. And because learning is essential to long-term change, a dedicated learning and evaluation pathway will sit at the heart of the work.
How it fits together
Live Well Spaces of Hope and Connection are one strand within the broader GM Live Well model, which also includes Live Well Centres, Live Well Offers and other community-based Live Well Spaces. This investment ensures that VCSE-led and community-led spaces are firmly embedded within the Live Well approach, and provides practical learning about how communities can protect, sustain and grow their own local Spaces of Hope.
The programme builds on two years of development through GM's Live Well movement, in partnership with GMCA and NHS GM. It aligns closely with the Greater Manchester Strategy, including ambitions around devolution, the VCSE Accord, the Economic Trailblazer Deal and GM's Prevention Demonstrator status. It also complements existing initiatives such as the Live Well Communities Fund, providing sustained investment to grow the movement's long-term impact.
Who's involved
10GM is the programme's accountable body, with delivery leads in each Local Infrastructure Organisation coordinating work in each borough. GMCA, NHS GM, GM Equality Alliance and The Innovation Unit will play key roles as delivery partners.
The programme begins with a six-month codesign phase starting in April 2026.
For more information email: info@mcrcommunitycentral.org
North Manchester
Live Well is Greater Manchester’s movement for community-led health and wellbeing. As part of the Live Well programme, Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) and NHS Greater Manchester have made funds available for Manchester Community Central to deliver the Live Well Manchester Fund.
In collaboration with statutory agencies and the community, Manchester Community Central will pilot a new grant funding initiative focused on building community power to address health inequalities. Health inequalities across Manchester remain a serious challenge, and especially so in North Manchester, where historically there has been a lack of funding into the area and communities face disproportionate barriers to wellbeing.
The Live Well Fund is being developed to invest in community-led solutions, because the people closest to the issues are best placed to drive change. This fund is not just about providing grants - it’s about redistributing power, recognising lived experience, and enabling communities to shape their own futures.
If you're interested in addressing health inequalities amongst global majority communities in North Manchester please get in touch with aneeqa@macc.org.uk